The present invention relates to a cartridge holder for a dialyser in which the hemodialysis solution is prepared by dissolving a salt contained in a cartridge or by diluting a liquid concentrate.
In dialysers, a hemodialysis solution is prepared and passed through a dialyser to extract contaminants from a patient's blood. Moreover, the dialyser is disinfected prior to a treatment. From EP 0 278 100 B1, it is known to produce the hemodialysis solution by dissolving a powder in water within the dialyser by flowing water through a cartridge containing the powder. Generally, the powder is sodium bicarbonate. Thus, a liquid concentrate is prepared that will later be diluted with water to obtain the concentration required for hemodialysis.
WO 97/02056 describes a cartridge holder for a dialyser wherein the cartridge is inserted between two jaws adapted for relative displacement along a linear guide. When inserting the cartridge between the jaws, thorns on the jaws penetrate into the cartridge and connections, also provided on the jaws, make the fluid communication with the interior of the cartridge. Thus, water may be supplied through the upper jaw, whereas the salt-water solution is drained from the lower jaw. For desalting, cleaning or disinfecting, it is required to flush the liquid leading parts of the cartridge holder. To do this, the connections of the jaws may be abutted directly against each other so that they form a conduit through which a flushing or disinfection liquid is passed. In doing so, the liquid conducting parts and also the seals are rinsed. To make the short circuit possible, both jaws are of a complicated structure with various sealing elements. The connections of both jaws are basically of the same connection type, i.e. they have a recess for a sealed insertion of a projection of the cartridge, as well as a thorn. As a consequence, the connections of the upper and the lower jaw do not fit together directly. Therefore, these connections have to be modified by embracing additional connection elements such that they may be abutted in a sealing manner. Thereby, the structure of the two connections become complicated.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a cartridge holder that allows for a connection or a short-circuiting of the two jaws without these jaws having to be modified.